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2005/01/13, 09:14 AM
Skip La Cour’s top 10 Bodybuilding Nutrition Tips
1) Make a list of all the reasons why now is the time to commit to eating right in order to build an outstanding physique. When you have a strong enough why, it’s much easier to figure out how. Motivation - not a special diet secret- is the key to success here.
2) Keep your menus simple. The less planning and work you have to do when it comes to feeding yourself properly, the better. try to look at eating as merely a method of building quality muscle, fueling great workouts, and keeping your body lean and looking good - instead of as a source of pleasure, and a means of connecting with your family and friends. i realize that delicious dining is one of life’s great pleasures, but try thinking of yourself as an efficient muscle-building eater as much as possible.
3) Be consistent with your good eating habits. How well you eat during a particular day or even a week is easily neutralized by just a few bad days. Make a good day of eating stretch into a good week, a good week into a good months, and several good months into a good year. That’s when you’ll start seeing the improvements you desire.
4) Build your nutritional program around a solid foundation of high-quality protein. Muscle is made of protein, so protein builds muscle.
5) When you’re trying to lose body-fat, concentrate primarily on reducing overall calories. many people place too much importance on reducing fats and carbohydrates. Start the fat-loss process by simply reducing your calories.
6) Pay special attention to how your body processes carbohydrates. Barry Sears, author of Enter the Zone, believes that 25% of people process carbs efficiently while the rest of us don’t process them very well. experiment with different types and amounts of carbs to see what works best for your body.
7) Weight gain does not necessarily mean muscle gain. Be sure to train as heavily as possible, eat high-quality protein, and add enough carbs to give yourself energy to live the life and look the way you want. And, of course, watch your fat intake. Forget about the scale! Use the mirror as your guide.
8) Advanced planning is essential. that’s especially true when you have an extremely busy schedule or when you’re traveling. Know in advance what you’ll eat on a particular day. don’t wait to figure out what you're going to do about eating.
9) Take advantage of meal replacements, high-quality whey protein, and even the convenient protein bars. With the tremendous accessibility of such products, there’s little reason to miss out on your daily requirements of the most important bodybuilding nutrient.
10) Plan your cheat days in advance too. Set up your nutritional plan to be a series of sprints, rather than an endless marathon. By doing so, you’ll be more likely to adhere to your plan. You’ll know in advance that you can soon reward yourself for exhibiting incredible discipline. There’s nothing like a Saturday for eating like a pig, if you want, after being a disciplined eating Mass Machine all weeks long!
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2005/01/13, 09:17 AM
great post with some great advice
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2005/01/14, 06:07 AM
"Weight training will increase the attractiveness of your physique while also boosting your fat-burning potential." - Mia Finnegan
Plus it will help make daily activities of living easier!!
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An old thought for the New Year - \'If you fall down seven times, get up eight\'
What matters is that you continue on.
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2005/01/15, 07:01 AM
" Fitness is a lifelong pilgrimage. And like religious pilgrims, all who seek health must commit themselves to the journey. Those who do will find lasting results. Here is the irony: To achieve physical beauty you must look beyond it. If we keep our eyes focused on a particular short-term goal we may achieve it, but the victory will be temporary. We must be transformed from the inside out."
-Ray Kybartas, Fitness is Religion, Keep the Faith
Enjoy the journey!
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An old thought for the New Year - \'If you fall down seven times, get up eight\'
What matters is that you continue on.
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2005/01/16, 10:35 AM
Top Ten Reasons to Exercise
10) Exercise relieves stress and anxiety.
According to Diana Kenepp, academic athletic counselor at Penn State University, "During high periods of stress, the body builds up hormones and other chemicals in the blood called stress products. Exercise reduces these stress products and teaches the body how to handle those stress products on a more efficient basis. Exercise may also release certain hormones which cause the body to relax - hence stress is reduced and sleep also improves."
9) Exercise may slow the aging process
Even people who begin an exercise program later in life can reduce the rate at which they lose aerobic capacity. As you age your ability to work aerobically can be reduced by up to 50%. However, if we exercise that loss may be as little as only 15%. Hence, at fifty we could have an aerobic capacity equal to that of an average twenty-year-old.
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2005/01/17, 06:38 AM
Top Ten continued...
8) Exercise relieves depression.
Exercise is nature's best tranquilizer. Studies have shown that when exercise is a normal part of life, depression is far less common, shorter and less intense.
7) Exercise reduces resting blood pressure
A combination of strength training and aerobic exercise has been shown to reduce , even in hypertensives.According to Wescott (?), after only two months of training, his patients dropped their systolic blood pressure by 5 mm Hg and their diastolic blood pressure by 3 mm Hg.
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2005/01/18, 06:55 AM
Top Ten continued....
6) Exercise improves good cholesterol levels
We have several types of cholesterol in our blood. The two most important types are 'LDL', often called 'bad' cholesterol, and 'HDL', often called 'good' cholesterol. When left unchecked, LDL cholesterol can incraese in the circulation and contribute to heart disease. Exercise, however, tends to increase HDL cholesterol levels, which in turn has a tendency to decrease the LDL. Thus, the chance of heart disease is far lower in someone who exercises regularily.
5)Exercise reduces low back pain
Years of research on strength training and aerobic exercise conducted at the University of Florida Medical School have shown that exercise can reduce lower back pain in two ways. First - strong low back muscles are less likely to be injured than are weaker ones. Second - even if you have low back pain and/or weakness, a strength training program can greatly reduce that pain. Aerobic exercise is also important in combating low back pain. For each pound of fat you lose, through proper diet and exercise, you reduce the stress on your back by 3 pounds. 80% of Americans experience low back pain, therefore it is advisable for all adults to strengthen their back muscles properly.
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2005/01/19, 12:20 PM
Top Ten continued...
4) Avoid Muscle Loss
Adults who do not exercise lose between 5 and 7 pounds of muscle every decade. Because muscle is highly active tissue, muscle loss is accompanied by a reduction in the resting metabolic rate. An average metabolic reduction for a non-exercising adult is 2-5% per decade. in an exercising adult this can almost be eliminated.
3) Increase in metabolic rate
Research reveals that adding 3 lbs of muscle increases our resting metabolic rate by 7%, and our daily need by 15%. adults who start a sensible exercise program use more calories all day long, thereby reducing the likelihood of fat accumulation.
2) Exercise increases bone density
the effects of exercise on bone tissue are similar to the efect on muscle tissue. the same exercise stimulus which stimulates muscle proteins to grow can stimulate bone cells to increase their density. this increase in bone density can be a significant factor in reducing osteoporosis in later life.
1) Exercise reduces bodyfat.
The only place in the body which effectively burns fat, no matter what we are doing, is the muscle itself. By increasing our muscle, more fat can be burned in a shorter period of time. since dieting alone has been found to reduce muscle mass, dieting alone is not an effective way to lose bodyfat, and in the long term may actually cause fat gain. therefore, a sensible strength training and aerobic exercise program not only burns more calories but also trains the body to be a better fat burner.
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2005/01/20, 07:57 AM
This is from the Sunday paper, It is a column by Micheal O'Shea, Ph.D, he is a fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine
Q: To what extent can exercise lower my medical costs?
Reasearch by the Dallas-based Cooper Clinic indicates that being a faithful exerciser may cut hospital stays and doctor's visits - for serious or minor illnesses - by almost half. In a study that spanned 19 years, nearly 7000 men aged 20 to 80 were given a physical that included a maximum treadmill test to determine their level of fitness; a follow-up exam and survey later were administered. The collected data suggest that fit men reduced their medical visits - and, thus, their medical bills - by a hefty 46%.
More important, these findings highlight the influence of regular exercise on wellness in general - for men and women. Dr. Larry Gibbons, a co-author of the study and medical director of the Cooper Clinic, says that the men who were out of shape and eventually became fit were able to lower their chances of being hospitalized by 42%. And, points out Dr. Gibbons, "to get out of the low-fit group took only 30 minutes of physical activity three to five days a week."
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An old thought for the New Year - \'If you fall down seven times, get up eight\'
What matters is that you continue on.
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2005/01/21, 09:07 AM
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.
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An old thought for the New Year - \'If you fall down seven times, get up eight\'
What matters is that you continue on.
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2005/01/22, 08:03 AM
' A new moon teaches
gradualness and deliberation
and how to give birth to oneself slowly.
Patience with small details
makes perfect a large work,
like the universe.'
- Rumi
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2005/01/24, 08:07 AM
"Cattle die, Kindred die,
All of us are mortal:
I know one thing that never dies -
the honor of a good life"
- Havamal
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2005/01/25, 08:36 AM
The System of Staying Motivated (excerpts from Mind Pump by Tom Kubistant)
'I am sure that all bodybuilders (fitness enthusiasts, too) have heard and read about the necessity of being motivated, positive, and on your own side. But do you really believe these things? Either you do or you do not. If you do, how can you apply them into your training sessions?
First, as we discussed in the last chapter, constructing appropriate and attainable goals is essential. this gives you direction and purpose. Goal setting and staying motivated go hand-in-hand toward effective bodybuilding progress.
Second, continually search for external sources of motivation to inspire you. ooks, magazines, role models, encouraging training partners, and gyms with positive environments all provide incentives to stay motivated. View these sources as investments in yourself.
Third, always remember and reinforce your specific motives in your training. these motives may change as you progress or vary at different times in your training cycles, so continually reassess them. Understanding your bodybuilding motives gives you extra energy that you can use in sustaining your training intensity.
Fourth, actively choose to be positive. remember, you have only two choices: to be positive or to be negative. Choose to build yourself, be realistically optimistic, and believe in yourself. Convince yourself that you can accomplish anything you set your mind to. You are not out there to sabotage yourself, are you? So actively be positive and believe in your self.
Remember, you become what you think about. Being realistically positive sets into motion all the powers and processes needed to achieve your training goals.
Finally, surround yourself with other [positive bodybuilders and actively support each other. Let the gym rats, show-offs, and ego kings and queens do their own things. you do not have time or energy for these people....
Being positive has no prerequisites, no preparation. if you must, start by pretending to be positive; you will soon be genuinely positive. Actively choose to be - and remain - positive. Do it now!
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2005/01/26, 04:34 PM
Muscle Up
Does stress make your blood pressure spike? If so, then build up your biceps.
Lean body mass helps your blood pressure return to normal after a stressful event, a recent study revealed. Muscle tissue improves your body's ability to regulate sodium, a key for blood pressure control. Tone your muscles by lifting weights a minimum of 10 minutes, 3 times per week.
RealAge Benefit: Keeping your blood pressure at 115/76 mm Hg can make your RealAge as much as 12 years younger.
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2005/01/27, 06:48 AM
I am sick and it is hard to find motivation when you are exhausted and unable to work out.
But!
I think it is a good time to focus on my eating and clean up my diet even more and think of it as a chance to fully rest and recover.
When you can't do the physical workout, focus on the mental aspects! The physical will be doable soon.
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2005/01/29, 11:21 AM
Intense Weight Training Increases Metabolism For 2 Days!
Many scientists say weight training is of little value for weight control because it doesn't burn very many calories compared to jogging, cycling, or cross-country skiing.
However, university of Wisconsin, LaCrosse, researchers showed that intense weight training boosted metabolism for a whopping two days after a workout. Scientists estimate metabolism by measuring oxygen consumption. Exercise boosts post-exercise metabolism by increasing muscle temperature, stimulating chemicals called uncoupling proteins that increase calorie burning, and disrupting normal cell functions (cell water, electrolytes and minerals). Elevated post-exercise metabolism can make an important contribution to weight control. This study showed that weight training helps people control bodyfat by increasing metabolism and muscle mass. (European Journal of Applied Physiology, 86:411-417, 2002)
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2005/01/30, 10:36 AM
"You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face....You must do the thing you think you cannot do."
-Eleanor Roosevelt (You Learn by Living)
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2005/01/31, 07:52 AM
Jack LaLanne'a Life Lessons
Jack LaLanne is proof that exercise leads to longevity. This month, the godfather of fitness turns 90, and he still works out every day. Here, the three most important lessons exercise has taught him.
Do something healthy and positive each day. "Whether you take a long walk at lunch, or opt for the stairs instead of the elevator, little things do make a difference."
Concentrate on the moment. "Don't worry if you missed a day of exercise yesterday. Put all your energy into what you're doing today and what you'll do tomorrow."
Be a role model. "Motivate your friends and loved ones to stick to their routines by being supportive.You can become their workout partner or listen to and be proud of what they've accomplished."
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2005/02/01, 08:27 AM
Stay with your program, eat healthy, but don't forget to include adequate rest! Recovery will determine what kind of results you get from your time in the gym. Here are a few things to consider to make sure you are making the most of your time away from the gym.
1) Daily Nutrition
Your daily nutrition will dictate the extent of your muscle growth.Remember, everything you eat and drink affects your body.The most important thing to remember is that food is your friend. be sure that you're eating six meals a day. Each meal should be high in protein, high in complex carbs and low in fat. Your body needs both protein and carbs to grow!
2) Pre-workout
about an hour before you train, have a whey protein shake and some complex carbs, like oatmeal. This will help fuel your body through a tough workout. Also, be sure to drink a minimum of 24 ounces of water during the hour before hitting the gym to hydrate your body.
3) Post-workout
After your workout, you are running on empty. it is crucial that you rehydrate with water and refuel your body with carbs and protein for optimal muscle repair and growth. Your best option is to consume whey protein for muscle repair and high glycemic carbs, such as dextrose and malto-dextrin, to replenish glycogen stores immediately at the end of training.
And get adequate, quality sleep. This is when your body is rebuilding and repairing itself!
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2005/02/02, 08:04 AM
This is a list from the US Dept of Health and Human Services - a reminder that the little things you do can add up to a healthier lifestyle!
Small Steps
Take Small Steps Today!
1. Walk to work.
2. Use fat free milk over whole milk.
3. Do sit-ups in front of the TV.
4. Walk during lunch hour.
5. Drink water before a meal.
6. Eat leaner red meat & poultry.
7. Eat half your dessert.
8. Walk instead of driving whenever you can.
9. Take family walk after dinner.
10. Skate to work instead of driving.
11. Avoid food portions larger than your fist.
12. Mow lawn with push mower.
13. Increase the fiber in your diet.
14. Walk to your place of worship instead of driving.
15. Walk kids to school.
16. Get a dog and walk it.
17. Join an exercise group.
18. Drink diet soda.
19. Replace Sunday drive with Sunday walk.
20. Do yard work.
21. Eat off smaller plates.
22. Get off a stop early & walk.
23. Don't eat late at night.
24. Skip seconds.
25. Work around the house.
26. Skip buffets.
27. Grill, steam or bake instead of frying.
28. Bicycle to the store instead of driving.
29. Take dog to the park.
30. Ask your doctor about taking a multi-vitamin.
31. Go for a half-hour walk instead of watching TV.
32. Use vegetable oils over solid fats.
33. More carrots, less cake.
34. Fetch the newspaper yourself.
35. Sit up straight at work.
36. Wash the car by hand.
37. Don't skip meals.
38. Eat more celery sticks.
39. Run when running errands.
40. Pace the sidelines at kids' athletic games.
41. Take wheels off luggage.
42. Choose an activity that fits into your daily life.
43. Park further from the store and walk.
44. Ask a friend to exercise with you.
45. Make time in your day for physical activity.
46. Exercise with a video if the weather is bad.
47. Bike to the barbershop or beauty salon instead of driving.
48. Keep to a regular eating schedule.
49. If you find it difficult to be active after work, try it before work.
50. Take a walk or do desk exercises instead of a cigarette or coffee break.
51. Perform gardening or home repair activities.
52. Avoid laborsaving devices.
53. Take small trips on foot to get your body moving.
54. Play with your kids 30 minutes a day.
55. Dance to music.
56. Keep a pair of comfortable walking or running shoes in your car and office.
57. Make a Saturday morning walk a group habit.
58. Walk briskly in the mall.
59. Choose activities you enjoy & you'll be more likely to stick with them.
60. Stretch before bed to give you more energy when you wake.
61. Take the long way to the water cooler.
62. Explore new physical activities.
63. Vary your activities, for interest and to broaden the range of benefits.
64. Reward and acknowledge your efforts.
65. Choose fruit for dessert.
66. Consume alcoholic beverages in moderation, if at all.
67. Take stairs instead of the escalator.
68. Conduct an inventory of your meal/snack and physical activity patterns.
69. Share an entree with a friend.
70. Grill fruits or vegetables.
71. Eat before grocery shopping.
72. Choose a checkout line without a candy display.
73. Make a grocery list before you shop.
74. Buy 100% fruit juices over soda and sugary drinks.
75. Swim with your kids.
76. Flavor foods with herbs, spices, and other low fat seasonings.
77. Remove skin from poultry before cooking to lower fat content.
78. Eat before you get too hungry.
79. Don't skip breakfast.
80. Stop eating when you are full.
81. Snack on fruits and vegetables.
82. Top your favorite cereal with apples or bananas.
83. Try brown rice or whole-wheat pasta.
84. Include several servings of whole grain food daily.
85. When eating out, choose a small or medium portion.
86. If main dishes are too big, choose an appetizer or a side dish instead.
87. Ask for salad dressing "on the side".
88. Don't take seconds.
89. Try your burger with just lettuce, tomato and onion.
90. Try a green salad instead of fries.
91. Bake or broil fish.
92. Walk instead of sitting around.
93. Eat sweet foods in small amounts.
94. Take your dog on longer walks.
95. Drink lots of water.
96. Cut back on added fats or oils in cooking or spreads.
97. Walk the beach instead of sunbathing.
98. Walk to a co-worker's desk instead of emailing or calling them.
99. Carry your groceries instead of pushing a cart.
100. Use a snow shovel instead of a snow blower.
101. Cut high-calorie foods like cheese and chocolate into smaller pieces and only eat a few pieces.
102. Use nonfat or low-fat sour cream, mayo, sauces, dressings, and other condiments.
103. Replace sugar sweetened beverages with water and add a twist of lemon or lime.
104. Replace high-saturated fat/high calorie seasonings with herbs grown in a small herb garden in your kitchen window.
105. Refrigerate prepared soups before you eat them. As the soup cools, the fat will rise to the top. Skim it off the surface for reduced fat content.
106. When eating out, ask your server to put half your entrée in a to-go bag.
107. Substitute vegetables for other ingredients in your sandwich.
108. Every time you eat a meal, sit down, chew slowly, and pay attention to flavors and textures.
109. Try a new fruit or vegetable (ever had jicama, plantain, bok choy, starfruit or papaya?)
110. Make up a batch of brownies with applesauce instead of oil or shortening.
111. Instead of eating out, bring a healthy, low calorie lunch to work.
112. Ask your sweetie to bring you fruit or flowers instead of chocolate.
113. Speak up for the salad bar when your coworkers are picking a restaurant for lunch, and remember calories count, so pay attention to how much and what you eat.
114. When walking, go up the hills instead of around them.
115. Walk briskly through the mall and shop 'til you drop ... pounds.
116. Clean your closet and donate clothes that are too big.
117. Take your body measurements to gauge progress.
118. Buy a set of hand weights and play a round of Simon Says with your kids - you do it with the weights, they do it without.
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2005/02/03, 10:43 AM
From the Dave Draper weekly email newsletter:
About purpose: let's assume you know why you're training. It's a large
and important theme and if it escapes you at the moment, there's not
enough time, space, energy or patience to discuss it. About vigor:
Exercise that is not vigorous is like ice cream without ice and cream. Eat
all you want, but it's no fun and not at all satisfying. Over the years,
as a trainee, a trainer and a gym owner, I've noticed that the major
ingredient missing in most folk's workouts is intensity. And training
intensity largely determines the advancement one makes toward one's goals;
weight loss, conditioning, increased muscle mass and strength, improved
muscle shape and tone.
Tricky term, training intensity. It's subjective and what is hard to one
trainee is mild to another. And where some can and should train hard,
others cannot, nor should they. Workout intensity needs to match the
individual, his health and ability, and his goal. However, intensity
should at least be considered by the person standing before the iron. It
should be sought, calculated and wisely applied.
Blasting it is not for everyone, but a little snap, crackle or pop every
now and then would be welcome. Can we please see an authentic wince of
pain and hear an honest, though muffled groan, iron-warrior? There ya
go... very cool.
Too often it appears the lifter is taking the path of least resistance
back to the locker room. Cute, but no cigar. The idea is to choose the
path of greater resistance with challenge and aggression, commonsense and
intention. Now you're on the direct route to your goal, which has nothing
to do with the locker room or juice bar or exit or gabbing or flirting. No
pain, no gain. No sweat, no get.
It's the muscle overload derived from intense training that causes
hypertrophy, which we commonly know as bigger and stronger and shapelier
muscle. Anything less should be considered muscle massage, conditioning,
practice, socializing, make-believe or a C-.
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2005/02/04, 08:27 AM
anni313
.. ft Professional
Gender : Female Posts : 1747
I wish I could be like you. I wish that I could avoid lifting heavy because I can con myself into thinking that every day I waste not doing it is just another day.
I wish that I spent part of my day thinking up reasons not to go to the gym.
I wish I could sit on a useless elliptical trainer for 20 minutes three times a week accomplishing nothing and then complain that I’m working as hard as I can but nothing is happening.
None of that is part of my world.
When I get up in the morning, I struggle to walk. I sit in my chair in front of my computer and I struggle to sit up straight and I often struggle to breathe. Everything about my life is a struggle and sometimes it’s so hard that I want to sit down and cry.
I can’t go to the gym and workout because when I’m done lifting my 5lb weights for 8 reps, and after 3 minutes on the stairmaster, I’m so tired I can just barely get to my car. When I get to my car I sit and listen to the radio for 30 minutes and wait for my strength to come back enough for me to drive homeand when I get home I have to rest.
But I didn’t give up. I went to Dick’s sporting goods 3 weeks ago and I endured the salesman telling me that “ladies don’t lift heavy and you don’t appear to be an exception to that.” I was horrified and humiliated but I went ahead and got something I thought I could do. It’s nothing fabulous, it’s just a stupid bit of rubber tubing with handles and a 30 minute instruction cd. It's resistance training though and I'm determined to lift heavy in my own way.
The first week I was able to work out for 7 minutes. The second week I was able to work out for five minutes and this week I accomplished 4 minutes twice in the same week. That’s 8 minutes, a one minute increase. I’m not going to waste your time telling you what the 4 minutes cost me because it doesn’t matter anyway.
What I’m trying to say to you is that what you have is precious and everyday I come here and I listen to the whining and excuses. I think that if I could be you for just one day the first thing I would do is run, just as fast and as far as your body would take me. And then I would take your body to the gym and I would lift heavy with your arms and I would use the stairmaster with your legs. I would turn your body into the most beautiful tribute to hard work and accomplishment. No matter how hard I try it’s never going to happen for me, but I’m not quitting and you can bet that I want to.
So as you go through your day or your week or your life and stuff yourself with garbage and make up reasons why it’s okay to be fat and out of shape, think about this post. Life turns on a dime, mine did, and yours can too. Talking about wanting something, planning to do something, it’s just not enough. Get off your ass and quit lying to yourself about how it’s okay to abuse the gift you have been given. Do it for yourself because tomorrow the choice might be gone forever.
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2005/02/04, 08:37 PM
asimmer, I think that is the most motivating thing you have posted on this thread yet. Thank you. Sometimes we all need a reality check.
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2005/02/05, 08:13 AM
Patience, persistence and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success.
-- Napolean Hill --
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2005/02/07, 07:27 AM
Live with purpose - each morning take a few minutes to consider your goals for the day. Do not criticize yourself for yesterday or anticipate things going awry this day, just decide what mindset you will bring to the day and how you will focus your energy.
Gently remind yourself during the day what your goal/mindset is for the day. When things happen that shift your focus away from your goals/mindset, pause, rewind to the state of mind you found that morning and begin again. Don't harass yourself for losing focus or spend energy trying to analyze why you lost focus - just refocus.
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Spoon feeding in the long run teaches us nothing but the shape of the spoon.
-- E. M. Forster --
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2005/02/08, 08:28 AM
20 Ways to Stay Motivated (from Men's Health training Guide 2005)
1) Sign up for a distance race - that is, one that is at least 500 miles away - the extra incentive of paying airfare and hotel will add to your motivation to follow your training plan.
2) Make a 'friendly' bet
Challenge your 'nemesis' - that idea stealing coworker or a non-mowing neighbor - to a contest. The first guy to drop 15 pounds, run a six minute mile, or bench-press 250 lbs wins.
3) Tie Exercise to Your Health
Check your cholesterol. Then set a goal of lowering your LDL by 20 points and increasing your HDL by 5 points. You will decreaseyour risk of heart disease while providing yourself with a very importnat, concrete goal.
4) Switch your training partners
Working out with a partner who ill hold you accountable for showing up at the gym works well - for a while. but the more familiar you are with the partner, the easier it becomes to back out of plans. Close friends and family members may allow you to slack off or cancel workouts, to keep this from happening, find a new, less forgiving workout partner every few months.
5) Compete
Find a sport or event you enjoy and train to compete in it. It adds greater meaning to each workout.
6) Think about fat
Understanding that you are getting either fatter or leaner at any one time will keep you body conscious so you won't overeat or underexercise.
7) Do a Daily Gut Check
Place your fingers on your belly and inhale deeply so that it expands. As you exhale, contract your abdominal muscles and push your fingers against your hard abdominal wall. Now pinch. You are holding pure fat between your fingers. Do this everyday, 30 minutes before your workout, and you'll find you'll rarely decide to skip it.
8) Join a fitness message board
It'll be full of comments from people who have accomplished their goals and are working towards new ones
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2005/02/08, 08:55 AM
Continued...
9) Strike an agreement with your spouse and kids
The rule: You get 1 hour to yourself everyday, provided you use it for exercise (and reciprocate the favor). So there is no pressure to do household chores, play marathon games of monopoly, or be a doting spouse (a fat, doting spouse). since it is for your health, it's a contract they can't refuse. And that will allow you to exercise guilt-free while acting as a role model for your children.
10) Burn a workout CD
Studies have shown that men who pedal stationary bikes while listening to music will do so longer and more intensely than men who exercise without music.
11) Plan your workouts in advance
At the start of each month, schedule all of your workouts at once and cross them off as they are completed. make sure you have a contingency plan for bad weather and unscheduled meetings. You are about 40% more likely to work out if you have strategies to help you overcome these obstacles.
12) Squat first
If you have trouble finishing your workouts, start with the exercises you dread. You'll look forward to your favorite exercises at the end of your workout, which will encourage you to complete the entire session.
13) Schedule a body-composition test every 2 months
It'll provide you with a clear end date for the simple goal of losing body fat or gaining muscle. tangible results are the best motivator. Your gym probably offers the service for a small fee - just make sure the same trainer performs the test each time.
14) Don't Do What You Hate
Whenever you start to dread your workout, do what appeals to you instead. If you loathe going to the gym, try working out at home instead. If you despise the treadmill, then jump rope, or find a basketball court. If you're sick of your routine, find a new one.
15) Go Through the Motions
On days you don't feel like working outm, mkae the only requirement of your exercise session a single set of your favorite exercise. It's likely that once you've started, you'll finish.
16) Start a Streak
There is nothing like a winning streak to attract fans to the ballpark.Do the same for your workout by trying to set a new record for consecutive workouts without a miss. Every time your streak ends, try to set a longer mark in your next attempt.
17) Make your goals attractive
To stay motivated, frame your goals so that they drive you to achieve them. For example, if you are a 200 pound guy, decide whether you'd rather bench "over 200 lbs", "the bar with two 45lb plates on each side" or "your body weight". they're all different ways of saying the same thing, but one is probably more motivating to you than the others.
18) See your body through her eyes (I am including this one, but I find it kind of mean and maybe not helpful)
Ask your wife to make like Howard Stern and identify your most displeasing physical characteristic. It is instant motivation. If she's hesitant, make a list for her - abs, love handles, upper arms, so on - and have her rank them from best to worst. Make the most-hated body part your focus for 4 weeks, then repeat the quiz for more motivation.
19) Buy a Year's Worth of protein
If a guy believes that a supplement will help him achieve better results, he'll be more inclined to keep up his workouts in order to reap the full benefits and avoid wasting money. Stick with the stuff that really does ehlp: protein and creatine.
20) Blackmail Yourself
Take a picture of yourself shirtless, holding a sign that shows your email address. then email it to a trusted, but sadistic friend, with the following instructions: "If I don't send you a new picture that shows serious improvement in 12 weeks, post this photo at hotornot.com and send the link to the addresses listed below....(Include as many email addresses - especially of females - as possible) It's nasty, but extremely effective.
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2005/02/09, 01:04 PM
'I'm too out of shape' and other couch-potato cop-outs
by Jacqueline Stenson
MSNBC
Despite the many benefits of exercise, statistics show that two-thirds of American adults are not physically active on a regular basis and a quarter get virtually no exercise at all. Why?
The most common reason cited is a lack of time, fitness experts say. Schedules are overbooked and things like exercise often aren't a high priority.
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That's not too surprising, but a new survey by the American Council on Exercise (ACE), a nonprofit group based in San Diego, offers some additional and perhaps unexpected insights on our coach-potato culture. In October, the group asked visitors to its Web site about what, besides lack of time, stands in their way of going to the gym. More than 1,500 people responded to the informal poll, offering some interesting excuses for not exercising.
Gym intimidation
For instance, 19 percent of respondents said they're too out of shape to work out -- they're afraid they'll be the only one at the gym who isn't buff.
People who aren't fit often think they've got to get themselves in "respectable shape" before they ever go to the gym, says Cedric Bryant, chief exercise physiologist at ACE.
Of course, the whole point of going to a health club is to get in shape. But "gym intimidation" can be a powerful barrier, Bryant and other experts say, especially when a club is filled with hard bodies in Spandex.
Besides not looking the part, plenty of people -- 21 percent -- skip the gym because they don't know what to do once they get there, and 3 percent said they avoid the gym because they're afraid to ask questions, according to the survey.
Bryant says proper fitness guidance can be an issue because gyms have cut back on the number of instructors who walk the floor and help out exercisers in need. Clubs may provide an orientation session to new members, but additional instruction is often only available by paying a personal trainer for it, he says.
Another 46 percent of survey respondents said gyms are just too crowded, and 11 percent said people who go to them are too rude. Gym etiquette dictates wiping down cardio equipment after use, not monopolizing weight machines and avoiding long cell-phone chats, among other courtesies.
Where to begin?
"But gyms aren't the only place to exercise, and some of these concerns could be avoided by working out at home, a no-frills recreation center or outside. (People can also search around for health clubs that better meet their needs.)
Regardless of the setting, it can be overwhelming for sedentary people trying to take that first fitness step, says Karyn Gallivan, an athletic trainer at the Tennessee State University Wellness Center and a spokesperson for the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
Many people say they don't have the time, she says, and if they do, they don't know where or how to begin.
"They feel that they are so far out of shape that it's too big of a job to get started," Gallivan says. And for those who do get started, sticking with an exercise plan is another major challenge.
This year, many Americans will likely resolve to get fit. But undoubtedly plenty of them will throw in the towel well before swimsuit season. Research shows that more than half of people who begin exercising drop their program within three to six months, according to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).
Winning strategies
So what are the secrets to success?
Gallivan advises beginning exercisers to start slowly, and then gradually build up. "Do more than you're doing right now," she says, even if that means just walking for five minutes three days a week at first.
People who come out of the gates too quickly risk soreness and injuries, which can dampen enthusiasm for exercise, she points out.
At an ACSM meeting earlier this year, Kyle McInnis, a professor of exercise science at the University of Massachusetts in Boston, led a panel of experts who discussed strategies for helping people stick with an exercise program.
Planning is key, the panelists noted. "Set realistic goals," says McInnis, and be specific. So instead of saying you'll get more exercise in 2005, make a plan to play tennis with a neighbor on Tuesdays and Saturdays, for example.
Getting into the exercise habit is important for beginners, even if they aren't exercising all that much starting out, McInnis says.
Others who don't have time to go to a gym or who simply prefer to exercise outdoors or at home can work with a coach to fit exercise into their life.
Experts often recommend scheduling an exercise session into one's day, just like other appointments. Another approach is to fit in short bouts of exercise -- 5 or 10 minutes -- a few times a day, with the goal of accruing at least half an hour of activity.
The ACSM panel also advised that people consider seeking guidance from a trainer to individualize a fitness plan, enlist the support of friends and family, and monitor progress regularly to help stay motivated and not become too discouraged..
"Any behavior change only occurs one day at a time," says Barbara Ainsworth, a professor of exercise and nutritional sciences at San Diego State University.
And simple measures like intentionally parking the car further from the mall entrance, carrying out your own groceries and taking the stairs instead of the elevator add up. "It's built into your day so it's not seen as something extra that people need to do," she says.
Once people start making physical activity a regular part of their lives, they'll likely begin to see some results and have more energy, says Gallivan. And those can be powerful motivating factors.
"As soon as people start feeling better, you have them hooked," she says.
"Our bodies were made to move."
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2005/02/10, 07:26 AM
The Blond Bomber Q) What do you recommend for getting the mind back into the game?
A) Exercise isn't exactly a thrill a minute. Too often it smacks of
monotony, fatigue, work, obligation and sacrifice. Swell! Let's work out.
This is wrong thinking, bomber -- negative input -- and must not be
entertained and allowed to take root. The work begins with establishing
your commitment and training attitude at the starting block. And only by
knowing your goals and purposes can these prerequisites be considered.
I suggest you review your training goals: why you train and where you want
to take it or where you want it to take you. The list is as long as Route
66. And, as you review your purposes, take the time to invigorate them.
Increased strength, lean muscle, fat loss, improved health and self
control must not become vague, slumbering stirrings of your mind. They
must be bright and crisp urges, full of life, color and animation. Be
grateful for their presence, and well-pleased you are capable and know how
to achieve them. Few people are as blessed and aware.
You're free. You can walk into the gym and work out according to your
wants and needs and abilities. You can push and pull and lift, and greet
and know yourself in the process. Step back for a minute; revive your
workouts by doing what you please to do and when. Go for your favorite
exercises; go for the pump and the burn, go till you want to stop, go for
the smile. Who cares if you get the last rep, the total sets, that
hoped-for poundage? It's the act of being there with spirit and enthusiasm
that counts.
When that old time feeling suddenly returns -- and it will if you let it
-- you can crank up your training and add just enough control to keep it
rolling... smoothly.
When all else fails, I think of life and what it would be like if I let
the weights go. If that doesn't get your mind back into the game, nothing
will.
Something I read in an ancient how-to book revisits me often: Be strong
and courageous... full of hope. Good advice.never fails to motivate me - here is another excerpt from the weekly e-newsletter:
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2005/02/11, 07:09 AM
Everyday is a new chance given to you. A new chance to achieve and excel, to build on yesterday's learning experiences and plan for tomorrow's successes.
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Spoon feeding in the long run teaches us nothing but the shape of the spoon.
-- E. M. Forster --
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2005/02/12, 09:29 AM
"What's my motivation? It's a personal one. I wnt to be the best that I can be, excel at who I am and get better and better through fitness. If I lose my focus I take a dep breath, take myself out of it for a day and re-adjust my lifestyle. I believe in being yourself and look forward to tomorrow , because tomorrow I will be beter than today."
- Jenny Hendershott, IFBB Fitness Pro
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2005/02/13, 10:23 AM
Argue for your limitations and sure enough they're yours.
-- Richard Bach --
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2005/02/14, 10:05 AM
Rest is a good thing, but boredom is its brother
-Voltaire
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2005/02/15, 07:11 AM
Fitness Is Important
Today I would like to share with you why I believe… Fitness is Important.
Fitness in my opinion the culmination of 3 factors:
Exercise
Eating healthy foods and supplementing when necessary
AND
Persistence over time…
Now I’d like to begin my talk about the first factor, exercise, with a little hand raising exercise.
Most of you already know that a reasonable amount of exercise, on a regular basis, is a healthy thing for us to do.
This information should come as no surprise because the fact that exercise is good for us is commonly understood by most adults living in the United States today.
However, not all of us are able to perform regular exercise. Our time and energies are constrained by the responsibilities in our lives. For example, have the responsibilities in your life ever STOPPED YOU from practicing exercise on a regular basis?
This failure to exercise is completely understandable because many of us have perfectly good reasons why can’t exercise. Two of the most common reasons that I have heard and experienced are:
- I simply don’t have enough time in the day to exercise, or
- I have health challenges that prevent me from exercising.
If you, or any of your friends, are using these reasons not to exercise, I am going to share with you, a piece of information that has allowed me and an exceptional few other people to exercise EVERY SINGLE DAY!
Now I’ve been running, biking, and lifting weights 2-6 times almost every week consistently for about 17 years, and I only discovered this strange technique just a few months ago, while listening to a lecture by the world class gymnast and author of ‘Way of the Peaceful Warrior”, Dan Millman.
Dan said, the way all of us can exercise every single day is to wake up every morning, get out of bed, and do ONE jumping jack!
Now, of course, it doesn’t have to be a jumping jack. It can be anything! For example, I was just looking at Bank of America’s new health website, and they had an exercise on there that I believe about 95% of the people on this planet can do…
It was close your eyes really hard, and flex your lip and jaw muscles by pursing them together, like this… (close eyes, purse lips and jaw)
At first I thought, what good can such a small amount of exercise do anyone? But then I realized, that the most important GOOD it does, is that is creates a certain mind set, a certain habit, a time dedicated every single day to bettering ourselves with exercise.
And as our time, and energy, and ability allow, we can increase that one jumping jack, to 2 jumping jacks, or 10, or 20. Again, it doesn’t matter WHAT exercise you choose, just be sure to do it every single day, then INCREASE it when you can. Now because of this information, the next time someone asks you if you perform regular exercise, you can say, “As a matter of fact! I exercise every single day!”
Now I would like to talk about the 2nd fitness factor… Eating healthy foods and supplementing if necessary.
Now materialistically speaking… You and I have been given the greatest gift in the world! We have been given a body with which our souls can use to consciously experience life! And if we are lucky enough to have a fully functioning brain. And if we lucky enough to be able to decide HOW we want to treat our brain and our body… Why would we want to tarnish this incredible gift by feeding it full of foods that accelerate our body’s degradation? Foods that accelerate our mental decline.
Well that’s exactly what we do, when we eat foods with little or no nutritional value, and foods composed primarily of refined sugars.
Our body is a very complex biological mechanism, and if we want to give it the nutrition it needs to function with absolute optimal performance, we need to seek the advise of experts. We need to talk to or read books written by appropriately trained physicians or nutritionists. Then we need to get a second option, and talk to another expert or read another book. Then get a 3rd opinion and continue to learn how feed our body, and how to care for it properly.
Now, you don’t have to wait until you talk to a physician or read a book to start eating healthy. You can simply use your COMMON SENSE to start eating healthy today!!
Eat more vegetables, eat more nuts and whole grains, eat more fresh fruit, and if mixed with exercise, eat more meat, fish, and real cheese.
Not processed cheese foods, like cheese-wiz, or American cheese in those little plastic wrappers, those are actually quite bad for you.
Now if you decide to eat healthy, and exercise regularly, keep in mind that fitness can only be achieved if you add the final ingredient, the 3rd factor, persistence over time.
And, if you persist, I promise you that, in time:
You will be able to look in mirror and feel proud.
You will be able look back at your accomplishment and dedication and feel proud.
And with the additional clarity and focus you have gained from the additional oxygen and circulation that you have given to your brain, you will be able to strategically share this information to help your children, and to help your family, and to help your friends to feel just as proud as you will.
Scott Curtner www.freedomfly.net
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2005/02/16, 07:53 AM
Operation Motivation: 6 Tips to Get Movin'!
by CJ Lockman Hall, M.A.
Having one of those days? You know, the couch looks more attractive than your workout clothes and, try as you might, you can't think of one good reason to sweat? Time for "Operation Motivation." Use these 6 tips to get movin'!
1) Do the Quick Change
When you find yourself waffling between working out and doing one of the hundred other things on your to-do list, do a "quick change." Immediately put on your exercise clothes. Taking that first step will go a long way toward getting you out the door.
2) Get on the Airwaves
Call a friend or teammate and tell them that you're struggling to get moving. Ask them to meet you for a workout. If they can't, at least they can motivate you! And, since you'll have made public your plans to exercise, you will likely follow through. You can also set up "workout dates" with friends in advance. If you know they're going to be there, chances are you'll hold up your end of the deal!
3) Treat Your Mind and Body
Your mind is fatigued from thinking. Your body is fatigued from sitting, or running after your kids. What you need is some time to yourself in the form of a good workout. Maybe you crave the rhythmic pavement pounding of a good run, or you yearn for the quietness of yoga. Whatever your mind and body need, move those muscles! Pump fresh air into your body! Glow with sweat! After your workout, you'll have much more energy and enthusiasm to attack your to-do list and you'll have done something nice for yourself.
4) One is Infinitely More Than None
Only have 15 minutes? Or you don't feel like doing your entire workout? Don't fall prey to the all-or-nothing syndrome: one mile is better than zero; ten minutes are a lot more than none. Once you start, you'll feel so good that you'll want to continue and you'll be glad that you did.
5) Add a Little Spice
Not excited at the prospect of your usual workout? Do your regular route or routine backwards. Go to a new gym, track, park, neighborhood, etc. Try a new class, or meet with a new workout partner. Put fun shoelaces in your sneakers. Break out of your routine add a little spice!
6) Start at the End
Picture how good you will feel when you complete your workout, and then go out and make it happen. It'll be the best thing you've done all day.
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© CJ Lockman Hall, M.A. Reprinted with permission
About the author: CJ Lockman Hall, M.A. is a motivational speaker, sports consultant, freelance writer, and devoted amateur athlete. Visit
Mind and Sport for more terrific information on a positive sport performance and the joy of sports.
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Vision without action is a daydream, Action without vision is a nightmare.
-- Japanese Proverb --
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2005/02/18, 09:31 AM
Make fitness bargains with yourself - earn your shower by riding your bike 20 minutes.
When you are stressed out, do 15 minutes of shadow boxing or some type of exercis you enjoy, your endorphins will get going and your stress level will lower.
Consider every decision as a fork in the road to fitness - which way will bring you closer to your goals?
Set mini-goals each day - achievement is a reinforced habit. When you are successful at completing mini-goals you are on the way to a mindset that you can accomplish any goal you choose.
Remember to stop and smell the flowers - becoming obsessed about anything is no longer healthy. You need to balance your lifestyle so it is healthy and enjoyable.
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Vision without action is a daydream, Action without vision is a nightmare.
-- Japanese Proverb --
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2005/02/19, 08:22 AM
Just Do It:dumbbell:
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Vision without action is a daydream, Action without vision is a nightmare.
-- Japanese Proverb --
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2005/02/23, 08:08 AM
9 Tips to Mental Toughness
by Garrett J. Braunreiter, CSCS, The Energy Coach
It takes more than visualization, self-talk, relaxation and concentration to be a real winner in life. (If only it were that easy, right? I am leaner, energized, and have a great body. Plus I make a million dollars a year working only a few hours a week. POOF!) It takes a kind of strength through mental toughness that a few people understand.
But once you DO understand it, you can master yourself and how you respond to ANYTHING that comes your way. Remember, too, that YOU ARE GREATER THAN ANYTHING THAT CAN HAPPEN TO YOU.
You do not have to be born with mental toughness. Mental toughness is a transferrable trait. You don't have to go through a trial by fire to experience it. Life will give you what you ask for. But once you ask, Life sets you to task. You will be challenged, many times a day to keep moving forward and reach your goal.
Here are some action tips for you to gain more mental toughness in EVERYTHING you do.
1. Listen to the experts. Read biographies and listen to audio programs telling of winners who have overcome tremendous obstacles and setbacks to become successful. Check out success stories in magazines and the Internet - fitness, money, or otherwise - you'll find they are people JUST LIKE YOU. So if they can do it, WHY THE HELL CAN'T YOU?
2. No pain, no gain vs. Patience, pacing, and persistence. You don't need to go through emotional or physical pain to succeed. This is a myth. When you realize that failure and handicaps have NOT prevented winners in any area of life, you gain more confidence and courage to pursue your own dreams.
But you don't need to "come from behind" to get ahead. Learn from the trial and error of others, and expect a lot of yourself. Not a pipedream, but expect a lot, and expect to get it. It can be easy to overtrain, overcommit, and overwork if your expectations are too much. GO WITH THE FLOW. Success WILL come; understand it may take months instead of days.
3. "What next?" thinking. Give yourself solution-oriented feedback when solving your problems. Don't dwell on what went wrong. What are you going to do about it? Spend your energy on moving forward, finding an answer. Journaling helps here. What did you accomplish today? What went well? What can you do better? How do I feel about my progress? Are my goals making me reach, or am I just going through the motions? Am I focused? Are my goals MY OWN?
4. Get comfortable with the unfamiliar. Make it a part of your daily routine to do something totally different than what you normally do. Work out at a different gym. Put your TV in the closet for a month. Drive to work using a different route. Change workout routines regularly. You'll be better prepared to handle diverse environments with greater calm and confidence.
5. THINK AND SPEAK WELL OF YOUR HEALTH. Teach yourself and your children to use positive self-talk about fitness and personal health. Too much attention is paid to minor aches and pains, like there's value to not feeling good. We tend to make real what is the "main feature" of ourselves. What's YOUR "main feature"?
6. Don't be a victim of ads and fads. Yes, the world is full of greedy people looking for a fast and easy way to put your money in their pockets. Make sure the thing that impresses you meets your criteria, and satisfies your concerns. Mental toughness doesn't mean going it alone, with lose-weight-fast or get-rich-quick schemes. Mental toughness means learning from the pros who have been there and done that.
7. Hang out with people who have already achieved their goals or who are dedicated to goals similar to yours. Avoid associating with people who have the same unresolved problems or who are frustrated by their lack of achievement. You know, the pity parties. "Oh, woe is me. My life is in an upheaval. How about you?" "You poor thing. Woe is me, too. I feel terrible about myself. How about you?"
Some people tend to thrive on the attention they get when they feel bad. A strong community of like-minded people give you motivation, support, and purpose for succeeding.
8. Focus on desired results. Pure and simple: winners dwell on the rewards of success. Losers focus on mistakes and failure. Do what's necessary NOW. Be in the present. Then you don't have to worry about what happened yesterday or what's going to happen tomorrow. Thus, two-thirds of your worries disappear.
9. Expect the unexpected. You can't control what nature and others do. You can anticipate what MAY happen, and prepare for them as best you can. You can also control your response to what happens.
"Imagine Having The Motivation And Energy To Take Control of Your Body And Your Health - And Still Have A Life."
Visit http://www.worldpeakperformance.com to find out how and get The Peak Performance Life ezine FREE.
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2005/02/24, 08:31 AM
What Motivation can do for You
by "garrettbio.htm", CSCS, The Energy Coach
1. It puts the fire within you - the fire that gets your inner power going. You're lazy. No ambition. No energy. No imagination. You just don't care. You're totally without interest. You expect some magic pill will solve all of your health and weight problems and give you a perfect body. You expect life to hand you your dream job, dream house, and lots of money without any effort on your part.
What bothers me about most people who are like this, is that YOU HAVE the makings of having a leaner body, tons of energy, and vibrant health. YOU HAVE the ability to live the life you want. YOU CAN DO IT. You've got what it takes.
But you're selling yourself short. Guess you may just be stuck where you are for the rest of your life.
I can hear the obscenities like fireworks.
"You don't know me, mister! You can't talk to me like that. Take your newsletter, your coaching, and YOU straight to h _ _ l!"
GOOD. You've got it. You've GOT IT. I KNEW you had it in you - if you just got motivated. NOW you're fired up.
Now GET GOING. Show me up. Show up others who don't believe in you. Show YOURSELF that you can do it.
2. It reveals your talents, talents you realize you didn't have. Do you know your true potential? Never write yourself off. There is ALWAYS the possibility of reaching within and experience knowing and finding yourself (a tremendous experience). You become a changed person, in every fiber of your being.
3. You go all-out; you're not a hold-out. No person should ever, ever, ever give up on himself, or ever, ever, ever think defeat.
But why is it that some people never seem to get going even though their ability is obvious? Do YOU go all-out, or are you a hold-out? In other words, do you do things half-ass (pardon my language), holding back your true capacity, as if you're AFRAID of giving it all you've got? Those who really get ahead in life are the all-outs, not the hold-outs.
4. You use ALL of your mind. In other words, you wish positive, but think negative. You have wonderful ideas and goals, and darn it, if you had the time, if you didn't have kids, if you had the money, if you weren't married, if you lived in a better part of the country, if you were more motivated, well, you could achieve.
A lot of people have this problem. I call it an internal arm-wrestling match.
You've got drive and ambition on the one hand, resistance on the other. Subconsciously you EXPECT to make a mess of anything you try to undertake; won't lose weight, won't have more energy, will fail business, won't get promotion, whatever.
So you never go further than paying lip service to what you want. And you don't do it.
That part of you that wishes positive is YOUR TRUE SELF. Your strong self. The part that goes away with action is your negative self. Your internal arm-wrestling match is where you rationalize your failure and make excuses for not doing anything.
All you have to do to get motivated is take ONE, just ONE, idea or goal you want to achieve, and DO IT NOW. Like, NOW. Not tomorrow. NOW. Break the hesitation and get going. If you don't, you'll be second-rate for life. You don't need to be that way. STOP BEING THAT WAY.
5. Keeps you open for more motivational experiences. Sooner or later some idea is going to hit you right square between the eyes, with power to excite and drive you, and it can have the most dramatic and lasting effect on your entire life.
To that end, a great way to keep yourself open to this experience is to read and listen to positive, inspiring books, such as the biographies of people who have gone "rags to riches," developing their talents to their maximum, solved problems, and succeeded in spite of everything. These publications make you think, really think.
Get to know people who have been very successful. Listen to them and their ideas. What were their methods? What was their experience? It's also important that you do this regularly. There will be many times where you have to "come down" and do some humdrum things. The fire of enthusiasm won't burn forever unless you put some fresh logs in it. That's where the listening and reading of motivational material come in quite handy.
6. Motivation changes your thinking, which changes your life. You can change your thinking by changing your life. The change happens when you image your Big Goal into your subconscious mind. You are constantly in a state of becoming. Which means, you become what you think!
Of course, you will be challenged, often many times, every day. But you will meet these challenges with greater self-confidence and strong faith. You need only ask - and believe and have faith. And achieve.
Then one day, CLICK. Something has flipped the switch inside you that causes you DO. You work out every day, eat well, finish your projects ahead of time, make more sales, all beyond your wildest expectations. It's something you can't explain, but it's happening.
7. When the going gets tough, the tough get going. Such a timeless quote. Sometimes motivation comes in the form of hard knocks. Mistakes, failures, setbacks. LESSONS. It's at this point where 9 out of 10 people fold 'em up, and go through the motions of life, hoping to make it safely to death.
"Adversity causes some men to break; others to break records." --William A. Ward
"Sweet are the uses of adversity." --William Shakespeare
"Adversity... I would never have amounted to anything had I not been forced to come up the hard way." --J.C. Penney
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2005/02/24, 12:31 PM
I think this thread is absolutely wonderful and I wanted to let you know I have enjoyed each and every post, thank you!
I believe the quote below is just exactly what is needed, JUST DO IT JUST DO IT JUST DO IT, not tomorrow, not after I go grocery shopping, not after you eat 20 more cookies, not after the stress stops, not after your job slows down, NOT after NOT after NOT after!
No matter how much the world throws us, we have to FIGHT for our success, we have to FIGHT for our goals, we have to know WE ARE WORTH FIGHTING FOR. YES, there will be tough moments when it feels like all will overwhelm us, and YES even the most successful, healthiest person in this world has them (if they tell you different it's hogwash), but WHAT we do with those moments makes the difference, DON'T cause it to STOP you, dig in deeper, TAKE TAKE TAKE so you can give, you will be a better person for it, take the time to exercise, eat better, breathe better and you will laugh more, love more, sing more, be grateful more!
Years of abusing my body will take time and the journey thus far has been about rethinking, relearning, and putting my health first when everything and everyone has claimed that spot and sometimes those that see I am concentrating on me get upset, get angry that I dare put my foot down, but too bad, get used to it!
Thanks again, Amy, for the time and effort you put forth to share your knowledge with FT members, it is appreciated!
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Quote from asimmer:
All you have to do to get motivated is take ONE, just ONE, idea or goal you want to achieve, and DO IT NOW. Like, NOW. Not tomorrow. NOW. Break the hesitation and get going. If you don't, you'll be second-rate for life. You don't need to be that way. STOP BEING THAT WAY.
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Veda
MISERY IS OPTIONAL
***When you are up to your ears in trouble, try using the part that is not submerged.
***The difference between a dream and a goal is a plan.
HAVE A GREAT DAY!
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2005/02/25, 08:04 AM
Making Time For Strength Training
By Chad Tackett
This article is for those of you who have very limited time to devote to exercise, but are serious about getting or staying in shape. Most fitness experts agree that even devoting 30 minutes to strength training two or three times a week is sufficient for strength and muscle development.
Many people make the mistake of adding more exercises and sets to their program to make it harder. To increase intensity, do not look for ways to do more exercise, look for ways to do the same or even less, by efficiency. Try to increase the intensity and shorten your workout time by using the following methods.
1. Make sure exercise is convenient: Getting to your exercise equipment should be easy and convenient. If you have to drive a half an hour to get to your gym, you will view working out as a chore. If you spend more time traveling to the gym than you do in the gym, you might want to consider a program that you can do in your home. Muscles do not care where the resistance comes from--they are going to respond. Resistance can be from body weight (push-ups), Thera-band® (rubber resistance), free weights, machines, or a combination of any of these.
2. Work several muscles in one exercise: Another way to fit weightlifting into your busy schedule is to choose exercises that work several major muscle groups at the same time. Squats or the Leg Press (you can find the instructions and video demonstrations for these and many other exercises on my site) works the quadriceps, hamstrings, buttocks, and calves. Essentially, you will be training four muscle groups at the same time with these exercises.
3. Limit resting time: Skip the usual minute or so of resting time between exercises. You can do this by doing Supersets, which involves doing two or more successive exercises for a given muscle group without rest in between. This can be done one of two ways: The first is to do two or more exercises in a row for the same muscle group without any rest in between. For example, do a set of the Shoulder Presses and follow them immediately with a set of Lateral Raises. This saves time and forces a lot more blood into the shoulders and provides a more intense and effective training stimulus for the shoulder muscles.
The second way to do supersets is to train two opposing muscle groups without any rest in between. You can use this superset style of training for two different muscle groups, but only if they have an agonist/antagonist relationship with each other. In other words, on any given lift one muscle is contracting and the other muscle is relaxing (such as the biceps and triceps when performing a biceps curl). Choose muscle groups that are physically close together such as biceps and triceps, or chest and back, or quadriceps and hamstrings.
4. Have alternate exercises for each muscle group: This is especially important for those who are pressed for time. Often there will be someone working on the piece of equipment you want to use. You should always have a back-up plan, an alternate exercise that trains the same muscle group.
I hope you found this information helpful. Your greatest challenge is not learning new exercises or the proper technique; it's not learning how many sets or reps to do or how much weight to use. Nor is it deciding when or how to change your routine. The greatest challenge facing you at this moment is deciding whether you are willing to take action and make time for yourself and make strength training a priority.
When you begin achieving great results, the excitement and fun you experience will make the change and time you've spent well worth the effort. Action creates motivation! Good luck: I hope you enjoy all the wonderful benefits of an effective strength training program.
Chad Tackett is President of Global Health & Fitness.
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2005/03/02, 01:33 PM
Be thankful you don't have a respiratory virus - and go do some cardio for me!!!!:dumbbell:
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Vision without action is a daydream, Action without vision is a nightmare.
-- Japanese Proverb --
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2005/04/23, 07:50 PM
I know its been a while, but how about some more daily motivation?
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:Hard work equals great results!:
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2005/04/26, 11:10 AM
I have been remiss in my motivational posts, I know. i haven't had the energy lately.
I am going to start a new motivational post for the day post because this one takes a while to pull up.:)
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Every new day is a gift.
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2006/01/25, 08:18 AM
Seems like some people could use a boost recently... so i will try to restart this and keep up with it:)
"Mind is all that counts.
You can be whatever you make up your mind to be."
- Robert Collier
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I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by a conscious endeavor.
- Henry David Thoreau
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2006/01/26, 07:54 AM
This one step - choosing a goal and sticking to it - changes everything.
Scott Reed
My babble for the day:
Think about how you feel when you do something for someone else - it gives you a boost, right?
Now think about how you feel when you follow through on something, instead of procrastinating, fantastic, right?
Setting goals and achieving them builds a feeling of confidence, success and a can-do attitude.
You have to remember that, while we may not be able to choose the situations that occur in our lives, we can control our reactions to them and how we deal with them.
Take one day, today, tomorrow , or maybe sometime next week, whenever you feel up to the challenge, and make every decision the way a hero would - with honor and grace. See how you feel at the end of the day. I bet it will feel great, it will feel the way you have been striving to feel.
When you act with integrity and honor to your goals and values, you build your trust with yourself and your confidence that you can succeed.
Now, if you always act with honor and ontegrity towards your goals that means that nothing will stop you from getting your workouts in, from giving yourself quality fuel, from being the person you want to be!
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Dont spend your precious time asking \\"Why isnt the world a better place?\\" It will only be time wasted. The question to ask is \\"How can I make it better?\\" To that there is an answer.
- Leo Buscaglia
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2006/01/27, 09:11 AM
Remember, happiness doesn't depend upon who you are or what you have, it depends solely upon what you think.
- Dale Carnegie
So many people fail to mentally change when they are trying to physically change. i think that so much of this is mental. You have to believe that your plan will work, you have to believe that you are worth the time. You have to choose to be committed and dedicated to your goals. You have to get in the game mentally or you will keep spinning your wheels.
So many pepole lose the race before it ever begins because they never believed they could win.
You need to look at past thought patterns and beliefs and change them to get better results.
Negativiy is insidious, it creeps into all the corners of your mind and clouds your vision. It causes you to look at everything with a dullness. It makes you think that you are the reason for failure, not the actions you choose. It makes you feel hopeless.
When you stop blaming yourself and instead realize that bad choices have gotten you where you are, you can start making new choices. When you realize that it isn't as bad as you have let yourself believe, you can start seeing the sun instead of the rain, or seeing the plants and flowers that grow and thrive because of the rain.
A good way to challenge yourself in this is to consciously spend an entire day thinking and speaking positively. It doesn't matter if people think you are a pollyanna or not, just do it. See how it changes your perception of things. before you can open your mouth about anything - you have to check and see if what is coming out will be positive or not. If it is going to be negative, check yourself and find something good in the situation instead.
Okay - that is the babble for today! Go out and be positive!
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Dont spend your precious time asking \"Why isnt the world a better place?\" It will only be time wasted. The question to ask is \"How can I make it better?\" To that there is an answer.
- Leo Buscaglia
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2006/01/28, 09:43 AM
Alright!!!!
Today's motivationalt tip is one i just read - I think it was in Fitness magazine, but i am being lazy:) and not checking right this minute.
I want you to sit down and write a letter to someone you love. In this letter explain why you need to workout and eat healthily, what the benefits are to them. Then explain in detail what will happen if you don't take care of yourself. How will it effect them? Will you die prematurely, will they have to take care of you on your sickbed, will they have to help you with your insulin shots or check your feet for ulcerated sores?
Now. Keep this letter around and reread it whenever you don't feel like working out.
It is kind of a more negative approach than I usually like to take, but it gets to the point - if you can't motivate yourself for your own sake, maybe the cost to your loved ones will motivate you.
Have an excellent weekend!
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Dont spend your precious time asking \"Why isnt the world a better place?\" It will only be time wasted. The question to ask is \"How can I make it better?\" To that there is an answer.
- Leo Buscaglia
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